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(No Model.)

W. M. GILLIE.

STEERING APPARATUS AND WINDLASS. No. 380,481.

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Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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Attorney.

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UNITED STATES PATENT tries.

WILLIAM M. GILLIE, OF TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

STEERING APPARATUS AND WRNDLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,481, dated April 3. 1888.

Application filed October 26, 1857. Serial No. 253,389. (No model.)

To aZZ who??? it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GILLIE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Tonawanda, inthe county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Steering Apparatus and lVindlass, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in boat steering and coupling apparatus, whereby by means of a single steering device on one boat (the boat carrying the steering apparatus) another boat coupled to it in advance may be steered or guided in any direction required, and whereby the boats may be drawn alongside of each other while passing into locks, the steering being done by changing the position of the boats from a straight line to a more or less angular position to each other, as will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a side elevation showing the steering-wheel turned over to one side to avoid low bridges. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view, and Fig. 4 represents a plan view showing two boats coupled together and illustrating the operation of the invention.

1 is the frame of the machine. It is made of cast-iron, as being the best material for the purpose, and is firmly secured together by binding rods or bolts 2 3, made in the usual way.

Two drums, 4t 5, are rigidly secured to the shafts 6 7, which shafts are mounted in bearings 8 (shown in Fig. l) in the frame, and are each provided with a spunwheel, 9 and 10. The drums 4 5 are provided with a flange, 11, at each end, to prevent the ropes 12 13, attached to them, from slipping over the ends.

The steering-wheel shaft 14 is mounted in hearings in the upper portion of the frame 1, and is provided with two pinions, 15 16, which are fitted so as to be moved easily back and forth along the shaft, but are prevented from turning thereon by a feather, 17. (Showuin Figs. 2 and 3.) These pinions 15 and 16 are adapted to gear in with the spur-wheels 9 and 10, and are thrown in or out of gear by the pivoted arms 18 19, which arms are pivoted by pins 20 to stationary pieces 21, rigidly fixed to the frame. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

The steeringwheel 22 is provided with the usual handles, 23, and a perforated lug, e, on each side of the hub. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) A portion, 24, is rigidly secured to the steeringwheel shaft 14, and to this piece the steeringwheel is pivoted by a pin, 25, on one side of the portion 24, and on the other side of the part 24 it is secured by a removable pin, 26. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.)

The object of the removable pin is to provide a means whereby (by removing the pin 26) the steering-wheel may be turned over the top of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2, while the boat is passing under low bridges. When the wheel is required for use, it is very easy to bring it to its normal position and insert the pin again. On the binding-rods 3 are two pawls or dogs, (one on each rod,) 33 34:. These pawls are fitted so that they can be moved easily along the rods 3. Their object is to lock either of the spur-wheels 9 or 10 when required.

In operating with this invention (see Fig. 4) the two boats 27 28 are coupled together by running the rope 12 from one of the drums of the apparatus over a sheave, 29, on the boat 27, and from thence to the boat 28, where it is secured at or about the point 30. The other rope, 13, is run from the other drum to and over the sheave 31, and from thence to the boat 28, and fastened thereto at or about the point 32. It will now be seen that if the two pinions 15 and 16 be thrown into gear with the gear-wheels 9 and 10, as shown in Fig. 3, and the steering-wheel 22 be turned, one drum will unwind one of the ropes (12 or 13, according to the direction the wheel is turned) at the same time the other drum is being wound up, and thereby change the position of the boats from a straight to an angular position, either to one side or the other, and by which they are made to pass through the water in either direction. When going into a lock, either one of the drums may be locked by moving one of the pawls or dogs so as to engage with one of the spur-wheels. The other drum, being free, may now be used as a Windlass to draw one boat alongside of the other, or for any other purpose for which a Windlass is adapted. It

will be noticed that the ends of the arms 18 19 project into grooves 38 in the sides of the pinions 15 and 16. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) It will also be seen that the steering-wheel, when it is turned over, as shown in Fig. 2, may be held in that position by a hook, 35, or other con venient means, when required.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a combined steering apparatus and Windlass, two drums mounted upon shafts set parallel and opposite each other in bearings in the frame of the machine, each having a spur wheel, 9 and 10, in combination with two pinions mounted on a steering-wheel shaft located at a point between the spur-wheels on a level with the top of the same and adapted to slide on feathers to prevent them from turning thereon, mechanism consisting of the pivoted arms 18 19, engaging with the grooves 38 in the sides of the pinions for throwing one or both pinions into or out of gear with the spurwheels, pawls 33 34, adapted to swing and to be moved sidewise on the rods 3 for stopping one or both spur-wheels, and a steering-wheel for operating the device, whereby it may be used either for steering two boats or for a windlass, substantially as described.

2. In a combined steering apparatus and Windlass, a holding-piece, 24, rigidly secured to the steering-wheel shaft, and a steeringwheel pivoted thereto by a pin, 25, passing through the lug e at one side of the steeringwheel hub, in combination with a removable pin, 26, adapted to pass in and fit a perforation in the holding-piece and lug projecting from the steering-wheel hub on the opposite side, which pin may be readily removed and the wheel turned over the top of the frame while passing low bridges, substantially as described.

WM. M. GILLIE.

Witnesses:

JAMES SANGSTER,

ARTHUR J. SANGSTER. 

